First Look At Steven Spielberg’s VR Helmets In ‘Ready Player One’

People visiting the set of Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One adaptation have spotted our first look at head-mounted displays we might see realized in the big screen depiction of the universe.

In particular, one photo shot by Christopher Bevan shows the bulky military-looking VR immersion rigs used by Innovative Online Industries. If you’re unfamiliar or need a reminder, that’s the fictional company from Ernest Cline’s 2011 novel (minor spoilers ahead) that uses a whole army of people to search for the Willy Wonka-like prize hidden inside a vast interconnected virtual universe.

More photos revealed via Twitter show a variety of set images showing the decrepit future taken over by VR. The book outlined a wide range of VR equipment, from cheap units given out free to kids attending public school, to high-end full-body immersion rigs that are practically indistinguishable from the real world. One photo, for instance, shows an Oculus Rift development kit-like unit atop someone’s head. Of course, anything seen in the photos could be temporary, either to be replaced or enhanced by digital effects later.

The book also was heavily inspired by the 1980s, with people called “Gunters” (Easter Egg Hunters) who spend every waking hour familiarizing themselves with ’80s pop culture reference in hopes of gaining an edge in the hunt for the prize. You can see a variety of these references sprinkling throughout the set photos.

It looks like there are more photos and videos rolling out on an ongoing basis via Twitter, via the hashtag #readyplayerone and #Birmingham.